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departments
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A Deeper Shade of Brown
Latino laugh legend Paul Rodriguez reveals how he stays relevant.
10 Letter from the Editor Keeping patients informed (and entertained) is priority No. 1. 12 News Nuggets Cannabis makes headlines here, there, everywhere— and we give you the scoop—PLUS our latest By the Numbers. 26 Strain, Edible & Concentrate Reviews Our ever-popular sampling of amazing strains and edibles currently provided by your friendly neighborhood dispensary. 38 Destination Unknown Ditch the tourists, hop on a riverboat and head to Battambang, Cambodia.
features 18 Capital-ism Sacramento, you’ve got work to do! 20 Self Reliance MMJ patients might need to save themselves—here’s how. 24 Frontiers of Science A federal cannabis researcher reveals the “pot patch.”
40 Profiles in Courage Our latest feature provides insight into the life—and struggle—of a medical cannabis patient near you. 42 Cool Stuff From Hasheys THC Canna Drops to Luminair Tree Tents, if it’s a cutting-edge product or cool lifestyle gear, we’re all over it. 46 Recipes Think drink! To usher in the warmer months, we’ve got the solution to your thirst. Cocktails for everyone! 48 Shooting Gallery Here are the green-friendly things we saw you doing around town. 50 Entertainment Reviews The latest films, books, music and more that define our culture.
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letter from the editor
Vol 4 IssUE 12
Publisher
Jeremy Zachary
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Roberto C. Hernandez Editor-In-Chief
Editor-in-Chief
Roberto C. Hernandez
Arts & Entertainment Editor Evan Senn
Editorial Contributors
Inside Information Some say The Gentleman’s Magazine, published in 1731 in England, was the world’s first magazine. There are some that say Erbauliche Monaths-Unterredungen (Edifying Monthly Discussions), published in Germany in 1663, was the first. Regardless, the history of magazines is a long and storied one that goes back, literally, centuries. Naturally, this publishing trend took root here, too. By the 16th century in America, the magazine
had arrived. Ben Franklin’s General Magazine is a good example. In another era, TIME, Ladies’ Home Journal and Reader’s Digest continued the magazine tradition with slicker, glossier packaging, plenty of photos and articles on a whole host of subjects—even controversial ones. For you trivia buffs, the most successful magazine in the U.S. was The Saturday Evening Post, first published in 1821. Life debuted in 1936. And I ran into a very fitting definition what magazines are: “regularly published storehouses of information.” That is a very apt description. And it’s one that applies wholeheartedly to the magazine you hold in your hands right now. CULTURE’s mission, like that of other respected, credible publications, is to do a masterful job of informing and entertaining its readers. That’s you. Every month, across the country, in every issue, CULTURE illuminates and enlightens patients and professionals. Don’t know what kind of strain is right for you? Check out our reviews. Trying to catch up on your state or city’s latest MMJ laws and regulations? Read our Legal Corner columns. Interested in seeing how our culture is mainstreaming its way into books, music and pop culture? Just pick up an issue, any issue . . . every issue. CULTURE takes its job very seriously. So it’s a concern when I hear about people trying to do cannabis magazines a disservice (just Google “Colorado” and “marijuana magazine” and “first amendment”) and make it harder for reader to get a copy. The last thing patients need is an obstacle to the best source of information out there. Remember, CULTURE is all about creating “storehouses of information.” CULTURE does it right. We show you and tell you stuff you’d likely never think to look for yourself. We take you to places you’ve never been to. We show you the books you want to read and activist groups you want to join. We introduce you to strains you want to sample and medical research you want to share with your doctor. We do this every month. Don’t believe me? Just pick up an issue, any issue . . . every issue. c
Dennis Argenzia, Omar Aziz, Sarah Bennett, Jacob Browne, David Burton, Michael Carlos, Grace Cayosa, Jasen T. Davis, Rev. Dr. Kymron de Cesare, Alex Distefano, David Downs, Carolina Duque, James P. Gray, Lillian Isley, David Jenison, Liquid Todd, Kevin Longrie, Dan MacIntosh, Meital Manzuri, Sandra Moriarty, Damian Nassiri, Keller O’Malley, Arrissia Owen, Paul Rogers, Jeff Schwartz, Lanny Swerdlow, Simon Weedn
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Culture® Magazine is published every month and distributes 30,000 papers at over 700 locations throughout the Bay area. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other matter within may be reproduced without written permission. Culture® Magazine is a registered trademark of Southland Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. 2175 Sampson Ave. | Suite 118 Corona | California | 92879 Phone 888.694.2046 | Fax 951.284.2596 www.iReadCulture.com
CULTURE® Magazine is printed using post-recycled paper.
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THE STATE Protesters—and an airplane—strike out at Attorney General Eric Holder and his “Cannabis War”
Attorney General Eric Holder— already the target of activists’ ire—got an earful last month after protesters swarmed UC Berkeley’s campus to protest the country’s top prosecutor, KGO-TV San Francisco reports. Holder was addressing the university’s School of Law class. Also part of the protest: an airplane, circling for two hours, towed a banner behind it that read: “Holder: End Rx Cannabis War #Peace4Patients.” The protest was organized by California NORML and Americans For Safe Access. “Holder can’t come to Berkeley and not be reminded of his department’s bad faith with respect to medical marijuana,” Dale Dieringer, president of Cal NORML, told The Huffington Post. MMJ activists have harshly criticized Holder and other federal law enforcement officials for the federal crackdown on medical cannabis in the Golden State. Last month, the state Supreme Court ruled that cities and counties have the legal right to ban dispensaries through zoning and land-use policies. Justice also suggested, however, that the situation would be different if legislators and citizens changed the law. So, what did Holder tell Berkeley students? “You are about to embark on your legal careers in an hour of particular consequence, at a crossroads in history.”
U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag for her role in attempting to shut down the well-known Berkeley Patients Group (BPG), considered an aboveboard, by-the-book provider of medical cannabis, according to the East Bay Express. BPG moved to its current location after federal officials last year told the San Pablo Avenue storefront it was operating too close (1,000 feet) to schools and sensitive areas. The feds’ complaint this time? Same thing: BPG is allegedly too close to schools. “There are no schools around there,” Bates declared at a news conference last month. BPG has had “virtually no problems with law enforcement.” Another Berkeley official chimed in. Councilmember Darryl Moore said, “To see the atrocities of our Department of Justice, it’s just outlandish and needs to be stopped.”
California Supreme Court: Cities and counties can ban MMJ
Despite a voter approved law that legalized medical cannabis and a political groundswell calling for much-needed changes and reform, the state’s highest court last month ruled that cities and counties have the legal right to ban collectives and other MMJ operations and storefronts. Since the ruling, federal and local officials have begun to renew efforts to shut down providers of medical cannabis.
THE NATION
ern Albany County. The lawmaker was ticketed for unlawful possession and allowed to drive away. In a mailer to his constituents, Katz talked about how “our community has been stricken with an increase in drug use and drunk driving by our youngest citizens,” according to the New York Daily News. He has also criticized his community’s “struggle against illegal drug culture and the abuse of narcotics.” Katz has yet to reveal why he had cannabis in his possession to begin with.
American Urological Association: Frequent cannabis use linked to lower risk of bladder cancer
Anti-cannabis NY Assemblyman Steve Katz cleared of marijuana possession charge
The American Urological Association found a strong link between frequent marijuana use and a lower risk of bladder cancer, reports USA Today. This conclusion comes at the end of an 11-year study. Researchers compared the cancer risk in more than 83,000
New York Assemblyman Steve Katz—who serves on his state’s Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Committee and has voted against medical cannabis—has been cleared of all pot charges after agreeing to 20 hours of community service, according to The Journal News. Katz was found in possession of three and half grams of marijuana earlier this year after he was stopped by state police in south-
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men who smoked cigarettes only, cannabis only—or both. Those that only smoked cannabis were least likely to develop bladder cancer. One researcher expressed doubts over the study, stating that the experiment lacked a control group of nonsmokers for comparison, among other factors. Men have a four-percent chance of developing bladder cancer in their lifetimes, with the odds being one in every 26 people.
Strip Strip Hooray!
THE WORLD Colombia city officials turn to potent strain to battle homeless’ drug addiction
Colombia’s capital city is going to new, progressive lengths to tackle Bogotá’s drug-addicted homeless population, according to The Miami Herald. Many of the city’s poor and destitute are addicted to bazuco, a cocaine derivative that is just as addictive as heroin. Bogotá’s plan? Replace the bazuco with a
potent strain of cannabis. The cannabis is being supplied by a company called Cannamedic, which is run by former bazuco addict Camilo Borrero. The strain is carefully selected for its powerful psychoactive effects (or “high”) to help bazuco addicts deal with the symptoms of withdrawal and transfer their addiction to a benign plant. Bogotá’s homeless population is estimated to be about 9,500, and approximately 79 percent of it is addicted to bazuco.
by the numbers
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The number of state Senate votes cast against this proposed bill: 12 (Source: The Associated Press).
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A low estimate of the number of growing businesses that currently produce cannabis for legal purposes: 2,000 (Source: The Wall Street Journal).
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The number of times that Berkeley Patients Group has been targeted for closure by the feds since last year: 2 (Source: East Bay Express).
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The number of years in prison that a San Jose dispensary landlord was threatened with by the feds: 40 (Source: East Bay Express).
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The estimated value (in billions of dollars) of California’s cannabis crops: 14 (Source: TIME magazine).
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The number of state Senate votes cast in favor of a proposed bill that would regulate the sale of MMJ in California: 22 (Source: The Associated Press).
New Mexico Department of Health).
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The approximate number of MMJ patients in New Mexico who registered for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): 3,600 (Source: New Mexico Department of Health).
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The approximate percentage of New Mexico MMJ patients who use medical cannabis to treat PTSD: 40 (Source: New Mexico Department of Health).
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The percentage of young Christians who support legalizing cannabis: 50 (Source: U.S. News & World Report)
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A high estimate of the number of growing businesses that currently produce cannabis for legal purposes: 4,000 (Source: The Wall Street Journal).\
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The estimated amount (in billions of dollars) of sales that legal cannabis growing businesses generated last year: 1.3 (Source: National Cannabis Industry Association).
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The number of MMJ patients in New Mexico: 9,090 (Source:
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The percentage of Christians who say smoking cannabis is not a sin: 70 (Source: U.S. News & World Report).
Queen of burlesque Dita Von Teese will be stopping by SF this month for her four-day residency at the Fillmore. Invoking classic 1940s style in her costumes, performances and pin-up portraits, Dita— the subject of CULTURE’s cover story in our July 2012 issue—exemplifies a Vargas or Elvgren painting—come to life. Dita’s striptease shows remind us of a Marilyn Monroe movie or a Frank Sinatra song—with larger than life sets and props, Dita revels in her over-the-top shows. Her famous martini glass number is bound to keep your attention, regardless of your gender. Yes, her full-length revue is similar to a classic 1940s strip tease, but her fun and flirty performances feel more like a Las Vegas spectacle than a skeevy lap dance. Her costumes will make anybody Ooh and ahh, while her multiple set changes and themed numbers will wow any crowd watching. See Dita perform pin-up powder puff show, her rhinestone cowgirl, opium den and guest appearances from burlesque royalty in this 90-minute spectacular four nights in a row!
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Burlesque: Strip Strip Hooray! featuring Dita Von Teese. WHEN/WHERE: June 26-29 at The Fillmore, 1805 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco. INFO: Tickets are $40; ages 18+ only, ID required. Visit concerts.livenation.com or www.dita.net. JUNE 2013 • CULTURE 15
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FLASH
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Three Bills Could Help End the California Crackdown {By David Downs} Get ready for a hot, punishing summer. Medical cannabis advocates and their allies in California will be pushing three new laws to protect and promote the besieged industry this June. Advocates are asking for patients’ help with letters to the editors of newspapers and calls to local representatives—especially in cities with dispensary bans. Both efforts can help pass some historic regulations of the $1.3 billion medical marijuana industry, increase its profits and legalize hemp planting. Moreover, the bills might help stem the waves of mass raids and ongoing patient arrests which have followed a May 6 California Supreme Court verdict. In the pivotal decision, the court upheld a city’s right to ban dispensaries. But the court also left an escape hatch in the unanimous ruling. “Nothing prevents future efforts by the Legislature, or by the People, to adopt a different approach,” the court stated. “[That] allows a big hole for the legislature to drive through,” says State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco). “To me, that sounds like a call for the Legislature to act.” Three bills could protect and enhance patients’ rights in California: regulation bill AB 473, collective protection bill SB 439 and hemp bill SB 566. Watchers say all three bills have a decent chance of passing through the Assembly and Senate this year and being signed by the Governor.
AB 473
AB 473 would begin the process of regulating California’s medical marijuana industry at a statewide level. Voters in 1996 and the legislature in 2003 approved quasi-legalized medical marijuana for patients, caregivers and collectives. But the details have gone unwritten. AB 473 begins that arduous process, chiefly by
assigning it to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Statewide regulation can help end local bans, Ammiano argues. “State regulation should reassure [local officials] and the federal government that dispensaries can operate safely, legally without threats to the communities where they are located,” Ammiano says. “In fact, I think they will see that dispensaries often stabilize and contribute to their communities because of greater attention to security and increased tax revenues.” The bill’s supporters include the defense bar, the ACLU, the Drug Policy Alliance and others. The ACLU states the bill could get the feds off California’s back, noting states like Colorado with, “rigid regulatory schemes for the sale of medical marijuana do not suffer from the same rate of federal intervention.” Opponents include the CA District Attorneys Association, the CA Narcotics Officers’ Association, the CA Police Chief’s Association and others. The CDAA wants to keep arresting medical marijuana patients, caregivers and collective operators at police discretion. And they want to keep assisting the DEA in dispensary raids, they state. If patients want to control the political process, they’re going to have to lobby harder than the cops, watchers note. “People who want regulations—which should be anyone who wants there to be a safe, legal supply of MMJ—should let their newspapers and representatives know. This is especially true for people who live in districts where their reps are wavering—places where cities are banning dispensaries,” Ammiano’s office says. The bill has to get out of the Assembly by a May 31 deadline and, “We think it’s a favorable outlook,” an Ammiano spokesperson says.
prosecute lawful patients, caregivers and cooperative operators, due to a perceived legal ambiguity. SB 439 further clarifies that such activity is legal. Opponents include the police lobby, who thinks the bill will legalize for-profit marijuana sales. The bill passed the Senate May 20 and is headed to the Assembly. “There is good reason to believe that the governor will sign the bills if they make it to his desk, and the recent vocal support of the Lt. Governor should not be discounted,” says Amanda Reiman, statewide director for the Drug Policy Alliance.
SB 566
Lastly, Sen. Leno’s hemp bill SB566 is moving through the Senate and should be supported, Reiman says. The bill directs the state to start growing industrial hemp as soon as federally possible. Governor Brown vetoed the same bill because he claimed hemp cultivation was still illegal under federal law. “This bill addresses that by saying hemp will not be grown until allowed by federal law,” Reiman says. Reiman echoes other activists, saying that patients can do two things: “Make sure that their senator and assemblyman are supportive of the legislation and are going to vote yes on it; and talk to fellow advocates to make sure they are also going to support the bills in their communities. It is important for folks to understand that a big reason so many localities have banned dispensaries is because the task of regulating them without help from the state is daunting. We are hopeful that state involvement will increase access to safe cannabis for patients,” Reiman says. Both houses take their summer recess July 3. Sept. 13 is the last day to pass bills this year. c
SB 439
In the Senate, Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and Sen. Mark Leno’s SB 439 protects “cooperatives, collectives or other business entities that operate within the Attorney General’s guidelines” from prosecution for marijuana possession or commerce. California cops currently arrest and
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FLASH
“Play the Game”
Silver Linings Playbook
loads of sales taxes with the only safe access point in hostile territory, says Lanny Swerdlow, a Southern California MMJ activist.
The state Supreme Court ruling was a Setback—here’s how to make lemonade out of lemons {By David Downs} Into every social movement some rain must fall. For patients, that happened on May 6 when the California Supreme Court upheld the right of cities and counties to ban medical cannabis collectives operating in storefronts, known as dispensaries. Dozens of cities and counties like San Francisco and West Hollywood have regulated dispensaries, while many more jurisdictions ban them entirely. It’s been an issue of much legal contention, but the Justices unanimously agreed, “[State law] does not . . . mandate that local governments authorize, allow or accommodate the existence of such facilities.” As a result, dozens of cannabis outlets—primarily in Southern California counties like San Bernardino and Orange—will be closed in the coming weeks. But as dark as these
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days may be, plenty of silver linings exist, watchers note. The People. v. Riverside decision benefits regulated outlets in safe cities, tenacious delivery services and can even be a boon to the MMJ movement as a whole.
BUSINESS BOOST
Leading medical cannabis lawyer Robert Raich notes that regulated dispensaries in safe cities like Oakland, West Hollywood and Venice will have a bumper crop of customers. “It will certainly be a win for them,” Raich says. “Patients will be coming from all over the state in order to obtain those medicines.” Former Berkeley Patients Group operator and High Times Freedom Fighter of the Year Debby Goldsberry said patients would travel 60 miles to patronize the Berkeley club. And smart, enterprising cities like Chico, Merced, South Lake Tahoe or Stockton can generate
ROLLING SERVICE
The verdict is also a boon to medical marijuana collectives that deliver, many agree. Delivery services lack the conspicuousness of a storefront, and can cross city lines into ban towns. “They’re more discreet and harder to threaten,” says Raich. “That’s definitely the case,” says Don Duncan, a Los Angeles medical marijuana advocate. “There is going to be an explosion,” Swerdlow says. Increased delivery services will compete fiercely, and “the increased competition ends up being good for the [patient],” says the owner of Playbud Deliveries, serving the eastern Bay Area.
LEGAL CLARITY
The harsh verdict also serves up some much-needed legal clarity that can ultimately benefit the MMJ movement, Goldsberry says. For one, the verdict clearly indicates dispensaries are legal. “It’s great to hear it from the Supreme Court,” Duncan says. Not only are they legal, but their location is up to the discretion
Activism starts at the local level—even ordinary citizens can participate. If patients want a dispensary in their town, it’s their job to elect leaders who’ll support clubs, recall leaders who don’t, run referendums to block bans and pass initiatives to install regulations at the ballot box, says MMJ activist Lanny Swerdlow. “We need to the play the game.” of local leaders, the court ruled, not President Obama or the state legislature, says San Diego activist Cynara Velazquez. “It clarifies that this is a local regulatory matter, that cities have the rights to make their own laws,” she says.
LOCAL FOCUS
In small local races, MMJ voters have already made the difference: electing cannabis-supporter Mayor Bob Filner in San Diego; and getting rid of MMJ-enemy Carmen Trutanich from his job as Los Angeles City Attorney. When the L.A. City Council tried to ban clubs, organized patients overturned the ban and installed regulations for 135 dispensaries in a city election May 21. Referendums are planned for Santa Ana and Riverside. And the small Riverside Brownie Mary Democratic Club this May got the Riverside Democratic Central Committee to pass a resolution in support of statewide regulations on the industry. There are 57 such Democratic Central Committees in California that need a few MMJ folks to start a Brownie Mary Club and push the resolution, Swerdlow says. Such a show of broad, local, organized support gives politicians some backbone. “We need political clout,” he concludes. “Unless you want to live in a dry county.” c
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BUZZ
Strain For Pain University of Mississippi researchers are zeroing in on new ways to administer cannabis medicine {By Jasen T. Davis}
You can say that Dr. Mahmoud ElSohly has a unique job. He is the director of the University of Mississippi’s Marijuana Project (UMMP), a research laboratory dedicated to growing and studying cannabis for the purposes of scientific research. And, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, this heavily-guarded, incredibly secure installation is also the one place in the entire country where federally-funded officials can obtain cannabis at all. Dr. ElSohly’s current work involves studying tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its effects on the human body, particularly its propensity for pain relief. “There are many indications
for which THC would be a good medicine if you have the right formulations and dosing,” says Dr. ElSohly. THC and other cannabinoids are the chemical compounds largely responsible for the plant’s beneficial effects. But while some rely on smoking for the relief of pain, nausea, anxiety, depression and insomnia, the doctor believes that such methods aren’t advisable. “There’s an inherent problem with the smoking of marijuana as a delivery system,” Dr. ElSohly says. “There are so many variables in the smoking process,” he adds. “It’s ludicrous to think you could come up with a dosage. The problem with smoking marijuana is that when you take even a single puff, you absorb so much
all at once, which rushes into the brain and causes the side effects of smoking marijuana. If the high is too high, then you actually end up with the opposite activity of the high, which is the paranoia, the dysphoria and the problems associated with that.” So while patients across America might be puffing to ease the pain, researchers at the UMMP are studying cannabis in order to isolate the precise compounds that have beneficial properties so that people don’t have to light up. For scientists like Dr. ElSohly, the question of whether or not cannabis is beneficial isn’t an issue. “Does it lower intraocular pressure for glaucoma patients? Yes it does. Does it reduce anxiety? Yes it does,” he says.
Formula For Success
Dr. ElSohly has not only been the director of the UMMP since 1981, he is also the principal investigator for ElSohly Laboratories, Inc., a private organization currently working on patented formulas for various other THC delivery systems. In 2010, the doctor was awarded more than $200,000 in federal funds for his cannabis research.
One recent breakthrough developed by Dr. ElSohly and his UMMP team is a THC patch (similar to a nicotine patch) that can be placed in your mouth, along the gum line, to administer a dose. Because the UMMP’s formula for the patch is much less synthetic than drugs like Marinol (a synthesized form of THC), it is a more reliable way to deliver the medicine. “We’re not really introducing anything strange to the body, other than the THC itself,” he says. “Because of the way it is absorbed it’s almost like it’s absorbed through the lungs, like the smoke. When you smoke, it goes to the lungs, to the whole, entire body before going to the liver. Unlike the oral [which] goes to the liver first and then goes to the rest of the body,” That means that MMJ patients may have another option in finding measurable relief without lighting up. “It looks like we have a successful product with good bioavailability and blood levels,” ElSohly says. “We have observed absorption for up to 10 hours.” For a lot of patients—especially asthma sufferers—that’s a great way to manage the pain without having to go up in smoke. c www.mpp.org/states/mississippi
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strain, edible & concentrate reviews GET YOUR CLICK HERE
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Sunset Sherbert
YB “Dabba Doo” Platinum Girl Scout Cookies Packing big-time flavor, and a major punch in a tiny package, one dab of YB Dabba Doo Platinum Girl Scout Cookies should do you. Yerba Buena Collective in San Jose is actually five different storefronts, and among the best-known brands in the South Bay. Building off its stellar line-up of flowers and concentrates, the dispensary has introduced this Platinum Cookies wax. The source strain—Cookies—combines OG Kush, Cherry Pie and Durban Poison for a sharp, sweet, minty, complex and enthralling aroma. Here, they reduce Cookies to its essence. Tart OG Kush terpenes waft off the blond, cookie dough-like wafers. This concentrate is nice and dry, crumbles easily, and vaporizes into a smooth, Cookies-flavored smoke. Patients report using such super-potent indica-dominant, hybrid concentrates for serious conditions like cancer, pain and multiple sclerosis.
One of the best-smelling and tasting flowers we’ve sampled in a while, Sunset Sherbert is a new hybrid based on the beloved strain Girl Scout Cookies carried by Hemp Center in San Francisco and San Jose Organics and Theraleaf in San Jose. Sunset Sherbert’s nugs are small, but their sweet, minty, dank Girl Scout Cookies aroma just lights up our brains with positivity. Girl Scout Cookies mixes the chemmy citrus of OG Kush, the berry grape dank of Cherry Pie and the exotic grass and candy sweetness of Durban Poison. Breeders have mixed in some of a mysterious strain called The Pink Pussy for an even sweeter, more scrumptious aroma. These dense, dark, multi-hued nugs are iced over with trichomes. That classic Cookies smell truly blooms in a grinder and the herb offers a medium-bodied, ultra-flavorful smoke. Patients are using such ultra-hybrids for daily afternoon use to treat stress, tension and lift mood.
Kanaga Exotic and gorgeous, Kanaga is a rare, purple African landrace sativa carried by Medi Marts in San Jose. This girl is gargantuan and dark, and even smells a bit like grape. Close up, she’s even more gorgeous: dense, thick, with purple leaves and long, rusty pistils. Under a scope, we can’t believe our eyes; the trichomes are packed so tight. Kanaga smells like a thinner, brighter Grand Daddy Purple when ground up and her smoke evokes the floral hay notes of Durban Poison. You can see how breeders might fold this strain into something like a Jack Herer. This pure sativa has adapted to the tropics of Africa and yields a classic euphoric effect. Patients with ADD and ADHD report using pure sativas during the daytime to provide energy and focus. It has a unique anti-anxiety effect that’s also similar to Durban.
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Igzactly Jack San Francisco hotspot Igzactly 420 carries a spot-on cut of Platinum Jack Herer this month, dubbed Igzactly Jack. This is the popular strain done right, with huge nugs and the pungent Jack Herer smell. Named after the late hemp activist, Jack’s an award-winning, classic cross of Northern Lights, Skunk and Haze from the Netherlands that smells candy-sweet and piney. Our nug pushes the envelope for Jack’s size, and is light green, resin-y and pale with rusty pistils. Trichome heads are full and clear under the microscope and Igzactly Jack’s stem snaps with a crack—indicative of a good cure. Grinding elicits even more of that sweet, candy-necklace smell, and this Jack smokes with a little bit of spice on the exhale. Patients report using such potent, sativa-dominant hybrid flowers to treat Crohn’s disease, muscle spasms and back pain.
Irish Moss Two-time Bay Area edibles contest winner and raw cannabis superfood Irish Moss contains a massive and diverse amount of ingredients thought to improve human health. We’re talking: medical cannabis; Siberian ginseng, ginger, coconut milk, Irish moss and a bunch of fruits and spices. The bottle looks like a vegetable shake and should stay refrigerated. Unwrap the sealed red top and the smoothie smells like a wholesome, inviting mix of banana and cinnamon. It tastes semi-sweet like banana, spicy like cinnamon and hearty like a protein and fruit shake with a lingering aftertaste of cannabis if you know what to taste for. Irish Moss comes in two sizes, 48 milligrams THC and 96 mg THC (10 mg THC equals one maximum-strength Marinol pill). Patients are ingesting cannabinoids to treat insomnia and pain without exposing the lungs to smoke.
The Venice Cookie Company Peppermint Patty The Venice Cookie Company doubles down and then some on its fine Peppermint Patty with an 180 milligram THC version that’s as strong as The 4:20 Bar. Look out for the new Peppermint Patty in the blue foil, while the old Peppermint Patty is wrapped in green foil and has 72 mg of THC. A sweet, rich dark chocolate candy shell encases both dose sizes, the difference is the creamy, sugary, highly medicated peppermint filling. The Venice Cookie Co. has infused the edible with the cannabis oil equivalent of 4.2 grams of flowers. That’s quite a bit, which is why the wrapping advises users to eat a quarter patty and wait 75 minutes. Patients are consuming high doses of cannabinoids orally to treat withdrawals from opioids, alcohol and narcotics, as well as in the treatment of cancer pain.
Presidential OG Honeycomb Very blond, ultra-crumbly and very delicious, iMeds’ Presidential OG Honeycomb is amazing because it’s a “nug run.” A “nug run” is a batch of concentrate derived from the tops of the cannabis flower buds—the nugs—as opposed to less appetizing material like leaf. A “nug run” concentrates all the finest parts of the plant—especially the aromatic molecules, and the complex, rare psychoactive compounds. Here, the source material is nugs of Presidential OG, a fine phenotype of the popular OG Kush strain. OG Kush smells like dank lemon Pledge—citrus-y with chemical notes—and this honeycomb hits all those notes exquisitely. The light, yellowish product looks like some supermelt water hash, but it’s much finer; vaporizing light and tasty on skillet. Patients report using indica-dominant, hybrid concentrates to treat cramps, glaucoma, migraines and fibromyalgia.
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Purple Monkey Balls The phenomenal grape taste makes Purple Monkey Balls the strong indica you’ve been howling for. Ocean View Organics in San Jose carries the 100-percent indica cross of NorCal hybrid Grand Daddy Purple and hash-making champion Afghan. Both strains have adapted to harsh climates. They are indeed dark, round and seemingly dusted with THC. The grape notes inside the jar are as thick as unwrapping a pack of grape Now & Laters, and close up these balls are a truly beautiful, glistening riot of purple with orange flecks. Grinding elicits the bottom notes of the bouquet: big, savory, olfactory slugs of Afghani hash, spice and wood. The taste follows the smell, and you don’t need much of this medium-bodied smoke. Patients report using such indicas for nighttime relief of insomnia or neuropathic pain, as well as appetite stimulation.
Lion OG Honeycomb Very waxy, blond and light-smelling, this Lion OG Honeycomb from Green Acres of Santa Cruz has some solid roots. It comes from the awesome Lion OG strain, and producers use the same honeycomb process that yielded some Santa Cruz cup-winning hash. The rangy, wild Lion from Zion mixes Jamaican OG and OG Kush for a grassy, sandalwoodesque sativa smell with an OG finish. Concentrate producers have rendered the Lion into a light, translucent wax wafer that still has the strain’s inviting terpenes—or aromatic molecules. The honeycomb is dry and brittle, and easy to place on top of flowers in a pipe, or roll into a joint, among other methods. Derived from a middle-of-the-road, 50/50 sativa/indica hybrid parent, such concentrates are used by patients to lessen pain, lift depression and bring on appetite.
Larry OG Earwax A really tasty indica-dominant hybrid concentrate, Larry OG Earwax from Natural Herbal Pain Relief in San Jose is delightfully light-colored—indicating it was made with fresh material. The smell of the parent strain Larry OG can be therapeutic on its own, and we get the Larry OG notes in this little plastic container—OG Kush’s astringent, pine and lemon notes, and the hint of hash from the Afghani #1. This big chunk is nice and dry and tacky. It’s firm when dabbed, then splits and crumbles. Pure THCa—the main active ingredient in cannabis—is a crystalline solid and this product is just heaps upon heaps of the stuff. Patients are using these ultra-strong, indica-dominant hybrid concentrates for symptom relief from alcohol withdrawal, inflammatory bowel disease and muscle spasms.
Legal Disclaimer
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Publishers of this publication are not making any representations with respect to the safety or legality of the use of medical cannabis concentrates. The reviews listed here are for general entertainment purposes only, and are intended for use only when medical cannabis is not a violation of state law. Please consume responsibly. Concentrates are legal and covered under Prop. 215 and SB 420, and they are considered a form of medical cannabis (H&S 11018). Without a doctor’s recommendation for medical cannabis, the possession of concentrates in California can be a felony (PC 1170).
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Making jokes about a commanding officer in the military is an easy way to get your ass shipped off to someplace freezing. Just ask comedian Paul Rodriquez. “There is an Air Force program called Tops in Blue, and you get to do the USO circuit,” says Rodriquez, who received his conscription notice two months before President Nixon ended the draft. “I did a routine about my commanding officer, who was very highly decorated. He had a limp caused by ejecting out of I think an F-105. Well, I said his limp was sexy, that he had a smooth walk like Ricardo Montalban. Everybody at the Air Force Base laughed, but my next orders were to Keflavik, Iceland.” The Mexico-born, Compton-raised comedian avoided fighting in Vietnam by enlisting in the Air Force, and cold weather aside, he believes his six years of service changed his life. “Getting drafted gave me an opportunity to get out of Compton and travel, and it opened up my ambition to do something,” says Rodriguez, who also lived through the Watts riots as an adolescent. 34 CULTURE • JUNE 2013
Down With Brown “The military was a good experience that I don’t regret at all. Oddly enough, I have been to more war areas as a civilian than I ever did in the Air Force. I have been to Iraq and Afghanistan entertaining the troops. I remember when the USO would come entertain us. I saw Kool and the Gang in Keflavik, and it was appreciated. When I am asked to go, I make the time, and I go out there and do what I can.” Rodriguez, who headlined the 2002 Original Latin Kings of Comedy movie, is currently headlining venues in mostly warmer climates as of late. The Latin star is performing material from his new comedic routine: Fifty Shades of Brown. “Fifty Shades of Brown is just a moniker for the different kinds of Hispanics that are here,” he explains. “I do a routine about how easy it is to take for granted that someone is a Mexican and the surprise when they are not. We are becoming more and more Central American, and the funny [element] is in the customs, the Chicano light as I call it. It encompasses all the things in the media right now… the immigration policies, the amnesty, the anchor
babies, the whole thing. It’s just a view from my perspective of change, which is never easy. It’s all of us trying to get along on this small piece of real estate.” Regarding the literary allusion, he adds, “People recognize the spoof of 50 Shades of Grey, and I touch on that, too, [such as] the differences between how the rich enjoy their sexual proclivities. It is a family show. There are no F-bombs, no profanity. It is a show that I could take my mom. I have done about eight shows now in different places, and it is going good. I am trying to get enough material for a special on one of the networks, and I think it is good to go.”
The Lucky Juan Since his breakthrough appearance in 1983’s D.C. Cab, Rodriguez has been a regular presence on television, the movies and the comedy tour circuit. Over the years, the comedian claimed several “firsts” for Latino comics, even if the ventures were not always successful. Norman Lear, arguably the greatest sitcom producer in history, chose Rodriguez to lead the 1984 ABC series a.k.a. Paulo. Though short-lived, V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
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the Smithsonian-enshrined series was the first about a MexicanAmerican family on a major U.S. network. A few years later, he became one of the first MexicanAmericans to host a major TV game show when he replaced Bob Eubanks on The Newlywed Game. On the big screen, Rodriguez appeared in nearly 50 movies, and he became one of the first MexicanAmericans to write, direct and star in his own U.S. feature film, 1994’s A Million to Juan. His cram-packed resume even includes an international Spanish-language talk show on Univision and part ownership of Hollywood’s famed Laugh Factory (of Michael Richards rant fame). Throughout his career, Rodriguez has also been an activist for several causes, including the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, League of United Latin American Citizens and The Leukemia Society, among several others. Most notably, he is a tireless advocate for water conservation, serving as Chairman of the California Latino Water Coalition and earning the Humanitarian of the Year award from the City of Fresno.
prevent something that there is really just no way to control. The only people who benefit are those who use it illegally, those who are benefiting from it. The people who would be most against it are the drug dealers, really. The prices go down, and crime associated with it is taken away from them.” “Marijuana is going to be here no matter how much legislation you pass. People are going to use it, they are going to grow it and some are going to abuse it. I am not an advocate, but I am not against it. I am against the hard drugs. Those things are just devastating.”
Sheer Entertainment Rodriguez also addresses another hot-button issue: immigration. The comedian continues, “I was at the Arnold Schwarzenegger conference this week where Senators [John] McCain and [Michael] Bennett spoke about immigra-
tion. Like I told them, you cannot pass a law in America and expect it to work when the other side of the border is not being patrolled. Mexico is broken. There is a river of money and guns going over there, and it has created tremendous hardship. What happens with money, it corrupts officials on both sides of the border. I watch Border Wars, and I find it ironic that American immigration officers named Gonzales, Garcia and Hernandez are stopping guys named Gonzales, Garcia and Hernandez from coming over. It is really a very difficult problem that neither the Democrats nor Republicans seem to want to face. What the solution is to that I don’t know.” Rodriguez, who recently called attention to kidney transplantation with the 2012 award-winning web series Fixing Paco, might use comedy to help a cause, but he avoids getting political in his
“Traditional Medicine” He also seems happy to express his views on various subjects, including medical cannabis. Asked if legalizing medical use was good or bad, Rodriquez implies it is the wrong question, saying, “It doesn’t really matter if we are for it or against it. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger in the government said, it is not a drug, it’s a plant. What people don’t understand about Native Americans and Mexican Americans is that marijuana was never looked upon as a drug. It was medicinal. My mom used to use it. She put it in a jar with alcohol and used it for her rheumatism. It has been part of traditional medicine for a long time.” “The problem I see with marijuana is that they really haven’t figured out how to control it, how to tax it,” Rodriguez adds. “As soon as they do that, it will be good. I think it is a gigantic waste of taxpayer dollars to try and
If you’re paying attention to the skating scene right now, you’re probably familiar with Paul Rodriguez. We’re not talking about the comedian, but his award-winning son. Paul Rodriguez III (a.k.a. P-Rod) started skating when he was 12 and got his first sponsor three years later. He went on to become the record holder for most wins in the Street category in the X Games with four gold medals, one silver and one bronze. He later went on to take first place at the Tampa Pro competition, Street League Skateboarding and the Battle of the Berrics, riding goofy in the third. He hasn’t stopped with working on the half-pipe either; he’s a noted entrepreneur with his own brand, retail store and a private training facility. With all of this going on in his life, he still has time to be a father to his young daughter and he’s only 28 years old. The man is dedicated and still has more to offer in years to come.
comic routines. “I am not a preachy guy [on stage],” he adds. “My shows are sheer entertainment.”
Staying Relevant Rodriguez can easily transition between his advocacy and entertainment because he has spent over three decades dividing his talents in productive ways. He is a multicultural, multi-generational star who has performed on stage and on television in both English and Spanish. The first Macintosh computer was not even on the market when he debuted in D.C. Cab, yet he has quickly transitioned into the digital age, which includes competing for search engine hits with his superstar skater son, Paul Rodriguez, Jr. The digital revolution can be difficult for veteran performers, but just like seeing the positives in getting drafted, the elder Rodriguez embraces the challenges of new technologies. “You used to have time to work on a five-minute bit for the Johnny Carson show,” he explains, “but now it is immediate. You are up on stage, and by the time you get home, it is up on the Internet. In a sense it is good because it forces you to think fresh, and it weeds out those who have [old] material. A comic [joke] is not like a song where it becomes your favorite the more you hear it. The first time you hear a joke, it’s funny, and the second time you might giggle, but the third time you wonder why it made you laugh. It all depends on the surprise on the punch line. For an older guy, it is a lot harder to stay hip and relevant and keep up with all the new languages and intricacies. In my case, I try to come up with material that suits my age. I try to explain grey hair, which is God’s way of saying you’re running out of ink.” Nevertheless, the comic whose work spans generations has shown he can reach them all. “My audience has grown with me,” he remarks. “I can look at an audience and tell they used to be the young ones that used to come. Now the baby boomers have bloomed, and they bring their kids to the shows. It really is so rewarding.” c
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destination unknown
Czech
A River Runs Through It Take a boat through western Cambodia to get the most Battambang for your buck We love Cambodia: friendly locals, tons of culture, a bit of grittiness and plenty of pretty sights to frame in the camera lens. There’s no arguing that a first visit to this beautiful country should include a trip to the famous Angkor temple complex in Siem Reap. However, when you tire of the giant crowds vying for the same, never-before-seen camera angle of heavily documented Angkor Wat, or the folks recreating their favorite frame from Mortal Kombat’s final fight scene, or the feeling of being followed by all those carved faces at Bayon Temple . . . go west, to Battambang. Battambang is Cambodia’s second largest city by population and home to well-preserved architecture from its French colonial past. It’s also a relatively short bus or car ride away from Siem Reap. But none of these contributed to our reason for visiting. We went because we heard we could get there by riverboat. The tranquil Sangkae River connects Siem Reap to Battambang. Every morning, between 7am-7:30am, an assortment of 38 CULTURE • JUNE 2013
roofed wooden boats—filled with tourists, locals and stuff—launch from the docks at nearby Chong Kneas. The boats wind their way through floating villages and around massive cantilever fishing nets, acting as both water taxi and sightseeing vessel. There’s a short stop at a floating convenience store for munchies or drinks, and then it’s off through more scenic water vegetation. From June to November, a.k.a. the wet season, this trip takes six hours. That’s the good version of the boat trip. The bad version happens outside of the wet season, when water levels drop and the boat captain must employ a long bamboo pole to push through formerly scenic water weeds. The bad version can stretch out over 12 agonizing hours, baking rooftop riders to a pungent crisp and threatening death by a thousand bored sighs. Toilet-free boats test bladder fortitude, forcing men to pee into their empty water bottles and women to curse their physiology. So, yeah, pay attention to the season or you’ll arrive at Battambang in a shriveled ball of rage.
By Dennis Argenzia and Edengrace Cayosa OK, now you’re in Battambang. What to do? Other than the boat ride, it’s the countryside sights that attract visitors. For transport, renting a bicycle is an option, but most people hire a motorcycle taxi driver, so as to avoid the state of “lost in a foreign country.” First is Wat Banan, a Buddhist temple ruin atop a 350+ stone-step staircase. With five mostly preserved “corncob” towers that were built in the 10th century, it is considered the “Mini Me” of Angkor Wat and is worth the burn in your quadriceps. From Wat Banan, you can see your next location: Phnom Sampeau, or the killing caves. Unfortunately, you cannot separate Cambodian culture from its bloody history; the genocidal Khmer Rouge communist party attempted to eliminate all forms of art or higher learning, and facilitated the deaths of over 2 million Cambodians through execution, torture or starvation. At Phnom Sampeau, thousands of Cambodians were slaughtered by being thrown through the cave skylights, and a shrine housing some of the victims’ skulls is a grim reminder of this horrific past. Understandably, after a visit to Phnom Sampeau, you might opt for something uplifting. If bats put a smile on your face, there’s Wat Baydamram, a Buddhist temple hangout for thousands of fruit bats. For those seeking inner peace, the Battambang Vipassana Centre offers silent meditation for 10(!) days. For the curious, there’s a ride on the infamous bamboo train: basically, the “train” is the equivalent of a bamboo daybed on old tank axles, powered by someone’s scooter motor. There’s just one pair of colonial-era tracks, so when two trains meet head-on, the daybed with the fewest riders has to give way by being disassembled and taken off the tracks. Fun! But for genuine soul sunshine, go to the circus presented by Phare Ponleu Selpak (PPS). According to its website (www. phareps.org), the PPS “is a cultural organization . . . that offers young people a way out of poverty by training them to become professional artists and performers.” If bats, meditation, trains and rehabilitated youth don’t do the trick, there’s the “Smokin’ Pot” cafe, where you can get some soothing, cannabis-infused eats. In addition, you can always turn to your moto driver or hotel owner, who would be more than happy to sell you green to end your day. c V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
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profiles in courage Patient: Sue Taylor
AGE: 65
Condition/ Illness:
Lower back pain; bulging disc 4 & 5
Using medical cannabis since:
Photo by Amanda Holguin
2010
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Are you an MMJ patient from NorCal with a compelling story to tell? If so, we want to hear from you. Email your name, contact information and details about your experiences with medical cannabis to courage@ireadculture.com.
Why did you start using medical cannabis?
I started using cannabis because I believe in alternative natural medicines as opposed to chemically-based drugs. I am deeply disappointed with the pharmaceutical approach to healthcare that focuses on managing symptoms as opposed to wellness of the complete person. Leaving the Vicodin and other harmful drugs behind, I was introduced to cannabis. I am not a smoker and had never used cannabis. I was opposed to it because of my experience with Reefer Madness and the stigma of cannabis. I was excited that cannabis provided an alternative to pharmaceuticals, and even more excited because you didn’t have to smoke it. I use CBD-rich tinctures and topicals, and [an] occasional edible for pain, as needed. I also incorporated yoga and other activities, for a total holistic approach to healthcare. Cannabis is a natural medicine that allows me to live the invigorating inspiring life I desired as I age.
Did you try other methods or treatments before cannabis?
Unfortunately, the only methods that were pushed upon me for treatment [were] pills and more pills . . . Something inside of me knew that approach wasn’t going to work and, more importantly, my body wasn’t responding to the pills.
What do you say to folks who are skeptical about cannabis as medicine?
When I am doing a presentation about medical cannabis, there are always people who are dis-believers . . . My approach is “Cannabis is not for everyone.” I give information, you determine if it’s for you. If you are happy with your life and your health, so be it. I provide information on the many benefits from cannabis such as [it] relieves pain, insomnia, anxiety, skin conditions and much more. I share the many stories of people moving from death to life, because of the cannabis . . . healing truth is hard to ignore. c
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cool stuff Hasheys THC & CBD Canna Drops The definition of medical cannabis—Hasheys infused THC & CBD Canna Drops contain 200 milligrams of cannabinoids from extracts suspended in a kosher vegetable glycerin. Tested by SC Labs, just a few of these drops underneath the tongue can treat symptoms of PTSD, epilepsy and late stage cancer. hasheys.com
Luminair Tree Tents You like tree houses? Well we like Tree Tents! These things are Star Wars quality. Not for weekend warriors, these Tree Tents can be installed as a semi-permanent structures almost anywhere. These tents are lightweight, low impact, durable and really cool. (Prices start from $10,000) www.luminair.co.uk
Slyme Skeleton If you’ve been an admirer of spectacular glassblower Carsten Carlile, you are familiar with his stunning take on skeletal forms and Volkswagen vehicles. Now the baron of borosilicate has opened up a gallery in San Jose, featuring his full range of talents—including this featured Slyme Skeleton—on display. www.carlileglassgallery.com
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Sandy Moriarty is the author of Aunt’ Sandy’s Medical Marijuana Cookbook: Comfort Food for Body & Mind and a Professor of Culinary Arts at Oaksterdam University. She is also the co-founder of Oaksterdam’s Bakery.
Menu: Summertime . . . and the living’s easy. What better way to celebrate the warmest part of the calendar than a refreshing assortment of drinks, cocktails and other beverages destined to chase away the heat . . . bring on the good times. Let the fun start flowing.
By Aunt Sandy
Mint Julep Orangeade Dirty Bong Water Watermelon Sunset
D rin k m e!!!
MINT JULEP WATERMELON SUNSET
3 shots of Infused Bourbon* 1 tablespoon Infused Simple Syrup** Crushed ice Leaves from one fresh mint sprig plus an extra for garnish Put the mint leaves and Infused Simple Syrup into a small chilled glass and mash with a muddler or a teaspoon. Add ice and stir before adding the bourbon. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
Hig h s p irit s
1 watermelon, halved and seeded 1/4 cup orange juice 1/4 cup Infused Simple Syrup** 1 teaspoon lime juice Watermelon slice for garnish
DIRTY BONG WATER 1 oz. Chambord raspberry liquor 1 oz. Infused Coconut Rum* 1/2 oz. Blue Curaçao 1 oz. sweet and sour mix 1 oz. pineapple juice Ice
Scoop the melon flesh into a blender and add the Infused Simple Syrup, orange juice and lime juice. Blend until smooth and pour into a chilled glass. Garnish with the slice.
ORANGEADE 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup fresh orange juice 1 cup Infused Simple Syrup** 1 cup water 1 orange, sliced 1 lemon, sliced
Infused Liquor*
Cannabis Simple Syrup**
Liquor of your choice (rum, bourbon, vodka, etc.) ½ ounce of cannabis buds
1/2 oz cannabis buds 1 cup sugar 1 cup water
Add the cannabis to a glass quart jar and fill with your choice of liquor. Place jar in a cool, dry place, shaking every day. Do this for about four weeks. Strain well and keep jar in a cool, dry place.
In a saucepan, sauté the buds in sugar and water over medium heat for 20 minutes. Strain the buds. Pour the remaining greencolored syrup into a glass container. Let it cool and refrigerate. Pour over fruit or fruit salad and let the syrup fully absorb.
Legal Disclaimer
Fill a pitcher halfway with ice. Stir in the fruit juices, Infused Simple Syrup and water until combined. Add the orange and lemon slices to the pitcher. 46 CULTURE • JUNE 2013
Publishers of this publication are not making any representations with respect to the safety or legality of the use of medical marijuana. The recipes listed here are for general entertainment purposes only, and are intended for use only where medical marijuana is not a violation of state law. Edibles can vary in potency while a consumers’ weight, metabolism and eating habits may affect effectiveness and safety. Ingredient management is important when cooking with cannabis for proper dosage. Please consume responsibly and check with your doctor before consumption to make sure that it is safe to do so.
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For our complete recipes go to ireadculture.com.
Mix well and serve in small chilled glass over ice
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Shooting Gallery iREADCULTURE.com GET YOUR HITS HERE
International Cannabis and Hemp Expo (Photos by David Downs)
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Ghostface Killah
entertainment reviews Sigur Ros Kveikur XL Recordings A little over a year since their last release, Iclandic trio Sigur Rós return with its seventh full-length studio release (eighth if you include the soundtrack to the Icelandic documentary Hlemmur), Kveikur. As one might expect, Kveikur is chock full of the beautiful post-rock soundscapes that Sigur Rós has built its reputation on. However, whereas previous albums were known for their ethereal qualities and minimalism, this new record can grow quite intense at times with heavier sonic qualities and even more expansive and enveloping production. Weaving together songs that seem to float as freely as a flock of birds amongst the clouds, and with tunes that blend massive, loaded textures that blanket you like a ferocious winter blizzard, Sigur Rós delivers another substantial record with Kveikur. Long time listeners as well as new comers to the band will delight in the still-dreamy and gorgeous voice and bowed guitar playing by Jón Pór Birgisson, all the while being blown back by the incredible atmospheric rhythm work of bassist Georg Hólm and drummer Orri Páll Dyrason. With nearly 20 years as a band to its credit, Kveikur further exemplifies why Sigur Rós is considered not just one of the best post-rock acts, but one of the greatest international music acts around today. (Simon Weedn)
California NORML Guide to Drug Testing By Dale Gieringer Regent Press Printers & Publishers Dale Gieringer has a political bone to pick with his short new book, California NORML Guide to Drug Testing. Right from the start, the reader knows exactly where Gieringer stands on drug testing. “One of the most insidious intrusions on Americans’ personal privacy and freedom in recent years has been the increasingly pervasive practice of urine testing,” he writes. No matter what your opinion of drug testing may be, however, Gieringer makes a persuasive case to support his opinions, complete with evidential studies to show that—even with the best intentions—today’s most common drug testing techniques fail to “measure fitness or impairment,” as Gieringer states it, “but rather the presence of certain drug residues that may have no deleterious effect at all.” Gieringer is convinced urinalysis—the most common drug testing technique—can’t detect THC. Therefore, Gieringer believes these tests, whether at the workplace or for drivers, may only catch chronic users or those that have used marijuana in the past week or so, instead of just the ones that used right before (or while) driving/working, making them clearly impaired. Gieringer begs the question: What, if any, is the value of a drug test that fails the test? (Dan MacIntosh)
Identity Thief Universal Pictures Dir. Seth Gordon Director Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses, The King of Kong) brings us a slightly twisted take on the buddy comedy genre for his fourth directorial effort, Identity Thief. Starring Jason Bateman (Arrested Development, Extract, Horrible Bosses) as the victim, and Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids, Mike and Molly) as the crook, Identity Thief follows the wild and sometimes convoluted cross country excursion Bateman’s character, Sandy Patterson, must undertake to personally apprehend McCarthy—who plays the titular role—to restore his reputation. While the story can be a bit busy at times, especially with the inclusion of several unnecessary characters and plot lines, the movie makes up for it with the stunning comedic timing and delivery of Bateman and McCarthy. The film’s high points are a series of seemingly off-the-cuff exchanges between Bateman, McCarthy and supporting characters, Tony the Motel Desk Clerk, played by McCarthy’s real life husband Ben Falcone, and dive bar patron Big Chuck, played by Eric Stonestreet. Although, Identity Thief has faults, it delivers more than a few laughs with a nice sized helping of sweetness and humility. All in all, a great flick to throw on for a nice quiet evening in, either by yourself, or with a special someone. (Simon Weedn) 50 CULTURE • JUNE 2013
High Times Medical Cannabis Cup San Francisco
It ain’t easy being the original and top-shelf cup event in the nation. But that’s just fine. Hear ye, hear ye, fans of ye flower, the High Times Medical Cannabis Cup is coming to the Bay Area to showcase the best of the best in true royal fashion. To help change hearts and minds, organizers have slotted keynote seminars and talks, including Saturday’s “A New Frontier of Women in the Cannabis Reform Movement” featuring the NORML Women’s Alliance or “To Dab or Not to Dab: Examining Concentrates” (I expect this one to be standing room-only). For entrepreneurs who thought that Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and their ilk were the domain of “mainstream” industries (whatever that is), guess again. Think your collective or MMJrelated business needs a bigger following? Check out “The Impact of Social Media” talk on Sunday or check out a performance by Ghostface Killah and GZA. Come for the knowledge. Stay for the awards.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: High Times Medical Cannabis Cup San Francisco. WHEN/WHERE: June 22-23, The Craneway Pavilion, 1414 Harbour Wy., Richmond. INFO: 18+. Doctor’s recommendation required only if you plan on consuming cannabis on-site. Go to medcancup.com.
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Let’s Do This Our picks for the coolest things to do around town “Girl with the Pearl Earring: Dutch Paintings From the Mauritshuis,” thru June 2
Though the classic painting (often referred to as the “Mona Lisa of the North”) is the main attraction, it’s really the centerpiece to an exhibit containing the best of the Dutch Golden Age of Art. de Young Museum, San Francisco www.deyoung.famsf.org
City Arts and Lectures present Gloria Steinem, June 3 Meet the woman who became the poster girl for activism and women’s liberation . . . who would probably object to us calling her a poster girl. Nourse Auditorium, San Francisco www.cityarts.net
An Evening with Dan Savage and Daniel Handler, June 11
One of them is an esteemed sex columnist who defies the norm and talks bluntly about gay life. The other wrote about very unfortunate children in a darkly comic fashion. We have no idea how they came together, but the juxtaposition sounds unforgettable. The Castro Theatre, San Francisco www.castrotheatre.com
TEDx San Jose, June 12
Live streaming conferences in which people give ideas worth sharing. Olympians, comedians, scientists, magicians, astronomers and more (oh my!) come together and talk about changing the paradigm. Santana Row, San Jose www.tedxsanjoseca.org
Pirates vs. Ninja Scavenger Hunt, June 13
Resolve the riddle of the ages: pirates or ninjas? Arrive in costume and split up into teams and dash across rooftops, bars, alleyways, boutiques and more. Everyone’s a winner! NextSpace Union Square, San Francisco www.nextspacescavengerhunt2.eventbrite.com
59th Annual North Beach Festival, June 15-16
It has been referred to as one of the country’s original outdoor festivals. This may or may not be true (the country is over 59 years old, guys) but it is a local classic with lots of food, art, drinks and animals. Just try not to get any of them confused. North Beach District, San Francisco www.sresproductions.com
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Chuck Shepherd
News of the
Weird LEAD STORY— CHARMING
; The beauty pageant each April at the Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater, Texas, requires traditional skills like interview poise, evening-gown fashion and talent, but also some ability and inclination to milk and skin rattlers. High school senior Kyndra Vaught won this year’s Miss Snake Charmer, wearing jeweled boots one night for her country-western ballad, then Kevlar boots and camouflage chaps the next as she took on dozens of rattlers in the wooden snake pit. Vaught expertly held up
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one serpent, offered its tail-end rattles for a baby to touch, then helped hold, measure, milk and skin a buzzing, slithery serpent. A Los Angeles Times dispatch noted that Vaught hoped to be on her way soon to the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
THE CONTINUING CRISIS ; That there are flea “circuses” is bizarre enough, but in March a cold spell in Germany wiped out an entire troupe of “performing” fleas, requiring the flea whisperer to secure replacements (because,
of course, the show must go on). Trainer Robert Birk reached out to a university near Mechernich-Kommern for 50 substitutes, which he apparently worked into the act over one weekend. (Fleas, with or without training, can pull up to 160,000 times their own weight and leap to 100 times their own height.)
MODERN ANGLERS
; Chad Pregracke, 38, a Mississippi River legend, spends nine months a year hauling heavy-duty litter out of waterways with his crew of 12. He told CNN in March that he has yanked up 218 washing machines, 19 tractors, four pianos and nearly 1,000 refrigerators—totaling over 3,500 tons of trash—and has collected the world’s largest array of bottles with messages inside (63).
PEOPLE WITH ISSUES
; Finally, Herson Torres was freed. As Bloomberg Business Week reported step-by-step in April,
Torres was recruited by a “Defense Intelligence Agency operative” to rob a Virginia bank in order to test first-responder reaction times. If caught, Torres’s arrest would be removed, said “Theo,” the operative. The skeptical Torres asked advice of various authority figures, including two bemused lawyers, but “Theo” was able to calm them all with a dazzling display of CIA jargon and procedures. Torres was indeed arrested, and “Theo” indeed sprang him (but with a judicial order that was forged). Ultimately, “Theo” was revealed to be frustrated computer-techie Matthew Brady, 26, who lives with his mother and grandmother in Matoaca, Va., and despite his obviously world-class bluffing skill, he pleaded guilty in May and was ordered treated for his paranoid schizophrenia and delusional disorder.
NO LONGER WEIRD
; Even the editor of News of the Weird gets bored: (1) A man in his
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‘70s in Burnaby, British Columbia, was rescued in January after being pinned for three days under fallen debris inside his seriously cluttered home (with “ceiling-high mounds of garbage,” wrote the Canadian Press). (Ho-hum.) (2) In Lianjiang City, China, in January, Peng Xinhua, 101, joined a long line of returns-from-the-dead. Following a fall, she had become stiff and without a heartbeat, her two daughters said, and burial was scheduled. Just before the funeral, as relatives and friends were washing her body, Peng opened her eyes and calmly greeted them.
READERS’ CHOICE
; (1) A 5-year-old boy in rural Cumberland County, Ky., accidentally shot and killed his 2-year-old sister in April, firing his own .22-caliber rifle. The weapon (a “Crickett”) is marketed as “My First Rifle” by the Keystone Sporting Arms company. (2) Henry Gribbohm, 30, admitted in April that he had blown his $2,600 life
savings trying to win an Xbox at a rigged ball-toss game at a Manchester, N.H., carnival, lamenting to WBZ-TV, “For once in my life, I happened to become that sucker.” (Gribbohm complained to the operator, but was given only a large stuffed banana as consolation. However, when news broke, an Internet website took up a collection and purchased the banana from him for $2,600.)
FRONTIERS OF PARENTING
; Caribou Baby, a Brooklyn, N.Y., “eco-friendly maternity, baby and lifestyle store,” has recently been hosting gatherings at which parents exchange tips on “elimination communication” —the weaning of infants without benefit of diapers (as reported in April by the New York Times). Parents watch for cues, such as a certain “cry or grimace” that supposedly signals that the tot urgently needs to be hoisted onto a potty. (Eventually, they say, the potty serves to cue the
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baby.) Dealing with diapers is so unpleasant, they say, that cleaning an occasional mess becomes tolerable. The little darlings’ public appearances sometimes call for diapers, but can also be dealt with by taking the baby behind the nearest tree. One parent even admitted, “I have absolutely been at parties and witnessed people putting their baby over the sink.”
CAN’T POSSIBLY BE TRUE
; Washington, D.C.’s WRC-TV reported in March that a woman from the Maryland suburbs showed a reporter a traffic citation she had just received, ticketing her for driving in the left lane on Interstate 95 in Laurel while going only 63 mph—compared to the posted (“maximum”) speed of 65. The citation read, “Failure of driver . . . to keep right.” The station’s meteorologist noted that winds that day were gusting to 40 mph and that the woman might simply have been trying to control her car.
; The principal and head teacher at a Godalming, England, specialneeds school were reported by employees in March for allowing a student with self-harm issues to cut herself, under staff supervision. (Unsted Park School enrolls kids aged 7 to 19 who have high-functioning autism.) Teachers were to hand the girl a sterilized blade, wait outside a bathroom while she acted out, checking up on her at twominute intervals, and then dress the girl’s wounds once she had finished. The school reportedly abandoned the policy six days after implementing it. ; Last year, according to Chicago’s WBBM-TV, Palmen Motors in Kenosha, Wis., sold a brand-new GMC Terrain SUV to an elderly couple, 90 and 89, in which the husband was legally blind and in hospice care, on morphine, and the wife had dementia and could barely walk. According to the couple’s daughter, it was her brother, David McMurray, who wanted the SUV but could
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not qualify financially and so drove his mother from Illinois to Kenosha to sign the documents while a Palmen employee traveled to Illinois to get the father’s signature (three weeks before he passed away, it turns out). An attorney for Palmen Motors told the TV station that the company regretted its role and would buy the vehicle back.
DEMOCRACY BLUES
; The city council of Oita, Japan, refused to seat a recently elected member because he refused to remove the mask he always wears in public. Professional wrestler “Skull Reaper A-ji” said his fans would not accept him as authentic if he strayed from his character. Some masked U.S. wrestlers, and especially the popular Mexican lucha libre wrestlers, share the sentiment. (At press time, the issue was apparently still unresolved in Oita.) ; At a Jan. 8 public meeting, Cooper City, Fla., Commissioner Lisa Mallozzi, annoyed with local activist (and former commissioner) Gladys Wilson, told her (according to video and audio of the meeting), “(B)low me.” Wilson, 81, said later she did not understand what the phrase meant; Mallozzi said later that she meant only that she needed to blow her nose.
UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT
; Passive possession of child pornography is not a victimless crime, authorities say, because by definition a child had been abused in the creation of the image, but that reasoning was no relief for New Zealander Ronald Clark, who was sentenced to three months in jail in Auckland in April for watching pornographic cartoon videos of short-statured elves and pixies. A child-protection activist acknowledged that no child was harmed in the creation of the Japanese anime artwork, but insisted that it was still injurious because “(I)t’s all part of 60 CULTURE • JUNE 2013
that spectrum.” Clark said he wondered if he might also be convicted for viewing sexual stick-figure drawings.
SUSPICIONS CONFIRMED
; California street gangs stage fights whose locations can be accurately predicted using the same algorithm that anthropologists use to predict where lions and hyenas will fight in the wild to protect their own territories. A UCLA researcher, using the standard “Lotka-Volterra” equation on 13 equal-sized criminal gangs in the Boyle Heights neighborhood in east Los Angeles, produced a table of probabilities showing how far from each gang’s border any fights were likely to occur. In the period 1999 to 2002, the formula correctly showed that about 58 percent of shootings occurred within 0.2 miles of the border, 83 percent within 0.4 miles, and 97 percent within 1 mile.
PERSPECTIVE
; Animal-rights activists have had success in recent years making covert videos of abuses on farms and in slaughterhouses, showing defenseless animals being cruelly mistreated in patterns unlikely to be caught by government inspectors making orderly, rare visits. However, as The New York Times reported in April, legislators in Iowa, Utah, Missouri and almost a dozen other states believe that the greater problem is that such videos “defame” the operators of these farms and slaughterhouses, and the states have proposed to criminalize the activists’ conduct, which might be “trespassing” in that they gain access only by subterfuge, for instance, pretending earnestly to apply for jobs. The typical state legislation would also require that any such video must immediately be turned over, not to government or the media, but to the operator —allegedly, so the abuse could be dealt with, but also coincidentally denying the activists their most valuable tool. V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
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